William H. Freytag

William, son of George H. and Wilhelmina Maassel Freytag was born October 27, 1902. He was confirmed in the first class taught by Pastor Haas at St. Paul Lutheran Church. He received his elementary education at the public school located on the Freytag farm. Instead of going to high school, he attended Woodville Normal and Academy at Woodville, Ohio. After graduating from there, he enrolled at Capital University, Columbus, Ohio, and, desiring to become a minister in the Lutheran Church, later entered the seminary at the same university. His class graduated May 13, 1930, as the centennial class, the seminary having been in existence one hundred years.

He was married to Emily Humrich June 14, 1930. On July 27 of the same year he was ordained in St. Paul Lutheran Church, Napoleon, Ohio, (rural) and on August 3 was installed as pastor of St. Paul Lutheran Church Augusta, Kentucky. He served two other churches: St. Paul Lutheran Church, at Cardington, Ohio, and Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Detroit, Michigan. While he was serving in Detroit, two congregations were merged, an inner city church and a mission in a developing section of the city. The new congregation purchased a site for a new church and started an extensive building program.

He received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Social Studies at Wayne State University, Detroit. In 1948 he joined the staff of the Lutheran Social Services of Michigan. To be certified as a visiting chaplain, visiting Lutheran patients in hospitals, he attended the special school on Pastoral Care conducting by Chaplain Ballinger of the University Hospital at Ann Arbor. He served the Lutheran Social Services in the capacity of visiting chaplain for twenty years. He retired at age sixty-five in 1967.

While serving the parish in Kentucky, a daughter, Jeannine, was born. She attended Wayne State University, Detroit, and the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. She married Ralph W. Johnson who is with the University Radio Station, Madison, Wisconsin. They have two children, Lisa and Douglas.

A son, James, was born at Carding- ton, Ohio. After graduating from high school in Roseville, Michigan, he worked for Sears, Roebuck & Company. He is now employed by the same company at Oakland Mall, Troy, Michigan. He married Mary Stewart, a teacher in the Utica School System. They have one daughter, Jennifer, and live in Sterling Heights, Michigan.

In 1966 William's wife, Emily, died. On June 27, 1969 he was married to Josephine Ballmer, Oak Harbor, Ohio. It is there where they now live in retirement.

Submitted by: William H. Freytag